Retirement
by DavidxEmber
Summary: They are retired. R-E-T-I-R-E-D. Retired! When will Dick and the Justice League get it through their thick skulls? There's a reason why they're no longer vigilantes.


"_No_!" They chorused, for the eleventh time that week.

"C'mon! _Why_won't you come back?" Dick groaned.

He, Wally, and Artemis were sitting in the kitchen of Wally and Artemis's small apartment, him and Wally drinking sodas while Artemis chugs a bottle of water.

The 18 year old ninja was desperately trying to get the 21 year old speedster and his long-term ex-archer of a girlfriend to change their minds about their early retirement.

It'd been about _18 months_ since Artemis quit being a vigilante, with Wally joining her _less_ then two months later. Dick knew why they left- _well_, he knew why _Artemis_left.

He was still unsure of Wally's reason.

Artemis _quit_ because of the _accident_.

_Nineteen months ago, Artemis, Zatanna, and Captian Marvel were battling three Shadow members; Hook, Black Spider, and Bane. _

_Bane slammed Artemis into a wall, impaling her shoulder with a steel pole, damaging several nerves in her right arm, causing severe and random hand spasms._

_She hasn't picked up a bow since._

She doesn't have complete control of the spasms, but she has more control then what she did a year ago.

Her spasms _weren't_ the only thing different about her. Her hair was much shorter, now to her chin in several layers.  
_It was the shortest it's been in over 18 years._

"Seriously Dick, we've talked about it; it's _not_ happening. _Why won't you_-" Wally is cut off by the sound of Artemis slamming the water bottle down on the table, her hand shaking while her hand rapidly forms a fist, then opens up again, before repeating.

_Another spasm_.

This one is short, only lasting about six or seven seconds. Half the time of her normal ones.

"Half the time I can barely hold my work. Imagine what it'll be like for me to shoot an arrow. I could get somebody on the team killed!" Artemis snapped, eyes narrowing.

Dick sighed.

"I know, but is there any way to-"

"No. The damage is irreversible. I have as much control as I'm ever going to get. So unless you something else to say, I suggested you leave!" She yelled, slamming her fist down, knocking over her closed water bottle.

Dick sighed, mumbled his goodbyes, and left.

* * *

Rocket and Zatanna came a week later while Wally was at work.

"So, how are you feeling?" Zatanna asked, as the three girls sat in the living room, the television on mute as it played Barry fighting Captian Cold as the Flash._*****_

"I've been better." Artemis shrugged.

"I miss you. I really wish you would consider coming back." Zatanna groaned.

"I _can't_ Zee. With my hand tremors it's _too risky_. I could kill someone- I could _kill_one of you guys, or anyone from the old team!" She cried.

"But that's not the only reason you won't come back, is it?" Raquel questioned, raising an eyebrow.

_No_. _No it wasn't_.

"_I'm nine weeks pregnant_."

Raquel and Zatanna gasped, as the latter got up to wrap her arms around the ex-archer.

"Are you serious!" Raquel cried. "Yeah. I'm due in _August_." Artemis grinned. "Does Wally know? How'd he take it?" Zatanna asked.

"He _knows_. And he was very calm. I was expecting him to freak out an run around like an idiot. But _no_... He looked at the test, and then looked at me, and said- _with the straightest face I've ever seen on him in the five and a half years I've known him_- and said _'We're having a girl_.' Nothing else, just that." Artemis explained.

"Personally, I think it's gonna be a _boy_." She added.

"_Wow_. You and Wally made a baby. An actual baby!" Raquel gasped, a smile on her face.

"Tell me about it. It better not be a speedster. I don't think we'll be able to afford the food!" Artemis yelped.

* * *

Wally was _right_ when he said it was a _girl_.

Because seven months later, _Madison Iris West_was born on August 12, 2016, at 21 inches long and weighing a hefty 8.9 pounds.

"We made her Wally. Can you believe it?" Artemis gasped, as she watched the watched the newborn red head drink from her breast, less then an hour after her birth.

"Tell me about it. She's adorable." He grinned, kissing Artemis's cheek.

"She better _not_take after you." Artemis warned him. Wally just chuckled.

Even if Artemis's hand tremors completely went away, they'd never come out of retirement.

Hero work could be dangerous, and they had Maddie to think about.

* * *

_***- I decided to keep Barry alive for this story to make sense.**_


End file.
